The Story of Brideshead Revisited

XI

Charles prepares his paintings for exhibition in a London gallery. Celia has decided to hold the private view on a Friday in order to give the critics the weekend to write thoughtful, unhurried pieces. She has also captured the attention of society by successfully inviting the Duke and Duchess of Clarence, members of the royal family, to the viewing. Charles tells her that he will not come home at the weekend as he has been invited to Brideshead. Celia is unsuspicious at first and regrets only that she cannot go too.

The private view is a success as far as the critics, the public and Celia are concerned, though Charles, feeling detached, is bored by it. At the end Celia makes it clear that during the day she has found out about Charles and Julia, and says goodbye. As the last visitors leave, Anthony Blanche arrives all agog to see the strange paintings he has heard about. It takes him very few moments to discern their essential falsity.

He takes Charles to a gay bar so they can talk about themselves and about art. He dissects Charles’s career with precision and devastating perception. Charles has not avoided the English charm of which years before he had told him to beware. He had had high hopes when he had heard of Charles’s unhealthy new pictures, but again he had just found charm, though this time it is the charm of childish pranks.

When Julia and Charles arrive at Brideshead they find Rex in residence. He has a party of disaffected politicians in the house, all making comments on the political situation of greater or lesser fatuity. In essence they are aggrieved to be out of government and out of power. Julia and Charles feel that this is an alien world and console themselves with the thought that they have each other.